TRIBUTES have been paid to a York businesswoman who has died suddenly, aged 45.

The family of Mandy Melka, a former North Yorkshire regional organiser for the Federation of Small Businesses, said she had been a 'warm, bubbly, caring and beautiful lady.'

Mandy Louise Melka, nee Riddell, was born in Fulford Maternity Hospital in August 1970.

A spokesman for the family said: "She attended Shipton Street School, then Kingsway, then finally Queen Anne Grammar School.

"Many of the friendships she made during those times are still as strong as they were then. Her first jobs were at Sunny Sunblinds, then Bradshaws."

He said she then started at the Federation of Small Businesses, and this provided a major changing point in her life, allowing her to develop a new found confidence which matched her 'incredible personality.'

She met Andrian, a talented local sculptor, in 1998 and they were married in 1999 and had a son and daughter together.

He said that when she couldn’t find a local nursery for her son, she used knowledge gained at the federation to start Big Blue House Day Nursery, and a few years later on, she set up Plush Wedding Boutique.

Unfortunately, the business ran into some difficulties and some of the remaining customers were taken on by another concern.

The family spokesman said: "She was amazingly creative, her spare time activities, amongst many, included card making and book folding.

"She met many new friends through these hobbies, once driving half way across the country just to deliver hundreds of birthday cards to a lady for a first birthday, even though they’d only ever spoken before on Facebook.

"She was an inspiration to others and always went out of her way to help those that needed it. She was a fantastic mother and nothing made her happier than seeing how her children were growing up into wonderful, caring young adults who were her pride and joy.

"Hundreds of messages of condolences have been received, all stating how devastated they are at the news, and expressing their love of the warm, bubbly, caring and beautiful lady who always wanted the best for everyone."